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Lewis Capaldi’s emotional Roundhay Festival return proves Leeds never stopped loving him
“You had me f***ing worried, Leeds!”
After Friday night’s Pitbull takeover, which saw thousands of people rocking bald caps and belting out every word, I genuinely didn’t think day two of Roundhay Festival could top it.
Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Where Friday was one giant party, Saturday was an emotional rollercoaster. The line-up was stacked with artists whose songs have probably soundtracked at least one heartbreak, and judging by the crowd, everyone was more than ready to feel every lyric.
Before the night’s headline act, festivalgoers were treated to performances from Jessie Murph, Jacob Alon and Conan Gray.
One of the best things about festivals is stumbling across artists you might not usually listen to, and Jessie Murph was exactly that. There had been plenty of chatter online questioning the support acts before the weekend, but every single one proved why they deserved their place on the bill. They might not have the mainstream status of Friday’s pop heavyweights, but their talent spoke for itself.
Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for.
Lewis Capaldi walked on stage to one of the loudest receptions Roundhay Park has probably ever heard, opening with Hollywood and instantly reminding everyone exactly what they’d missed.
There’s something about a Lewis Capaldi gig that no one else quite manages to recreate.
One minute he’s breaking your heart with songs like The Day That I Die and Someone You Loved, the next he’s got thousands crying with laughter from a story that probably shouldn’t be funny but somehow is.
It’s that balance of vulnerability and humour that makes him one of Britain’s most relatable performers.
Having stepped away from touring to focus on his mental health, Lewis didn’t shy away from talking about his journey. Instead, he embraced it, making the night feel less like a comeback concert and more like catching up with an old mate.
One of the biggest cheers of the night came after he joked about worrying whether anyone would actually turn up following comments he’d made on The Graham Norton Show about ticket sales.
Thousands of phone torches lit up the sky as every word of Someone You Loved echoed around the festival site. It was one of those moments that reminds you exactly why live music matters. Lewis had previously been due to return to Leeds before cancelling shows as he prioritised his health, making this performance feel even more significant.
His last appearance at Roundhay Park was back in 2019 supporting Ed Sheeran. This time, he came back as the main event.
Roundhay Festival gave Lewis Capaldi the welcome he deserved, and Leeds gave every bit of that love straight back.
Read more: Pitbull at Roundhay Festival – For one glorious evening, Leeds became the happiest place on Earth
Featured image: The Hoot Leeds
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James Blunt announces huge European tour, kicking off in Leeds
Daisy Jackson
Singer-songwriter James Blunt is heading back out on tour next year, kicking off a run of arena dates here in Leeds.
The singer, perhaps best-known for his iconic 2005 pop ballad 'You're Beautiful', is hitting the road again in 2027.
The newly-announced European tour is in celebration of his new album Airplane Mode, which is set for release this autumn.
James Blunt will kick off his tour here in Leeds next spring, with a massive show at the First Direct Arena.
Then he'll head to more cities including Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham and London.
His new album, Airplane Mode, is being released on 6 November and will, according to his press release, be 'exhilarating'.
James has already released the first single, 'Tastes Like Summer', and 'Weight Of It All', with 10 more songs to come on the record.
Airplane Mode was recorded with James’ brilliant long-standing live band, who'll be back on tour with him next year.
Speaking of the new album, and recording in Pig Music Studios, he said: "Somewhere back there, I lost my way, but found it again in a studio in Banbury."
James Blunt will be at the First Direct Arena in Leeds on 26 March, 2027. Tickets go on sale from 10am on 9 September.
James Blunt UK and Ireland 2027 tour dates
- 26 March - Leeds
- 27 March - Birmingham
- 28 March - Newcastle
- 30 March - Dublin
- 31 March - Belfast
- 2 April - Glasgow
- 3 April - Manchester
- 4 April - London
- 6 April - Cardiff
- 7 April - Bournemouth
- 8 April - Brighton
Read more: Blossoms announce massive First Direct Arena gig in Leeds
Featured image: Supplied
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Major DJ has set cancelled as overcrowding concerns continue at Leeds Festival
Clementine Hall
After closing for the entire second day, The Warehouse stage at Leeds Festival has once again been forced to evacuate.
One of the most anticipated dance acts of the day has been cancelled due to health and safety concerns just moments before the set.
Sheffield DJ Silva Bumpa was due to take to The Warehouse stage today at 1:30pm, but the set was cancelled due to overcrowding.
It's not the first time this has happened at Leeds Festival 2026, as yesterday Omar+'s set was cancelled due to the same issue and the stage was subsequently closed for the rest of the day.
The Warehouse stage is completely new for this year, and supposedly is designed specifically for dance music...which is quite ironic.
Announcing the news to Instagram, Silva Bumpa said: "So so sorry Leeds Fest but due to over crowding my set was cancelled last min I was just behind the stage and got told right before such a massive shame."
Prospa, another prominent DJ who's set was cancelled at Reading on Friday afternoon, spoke up on the situation: "We are disappointed in The Warehouse stage closure at Reading Festival. We were told it wasn't possible to play whilst on the way. This was due to too many people outside the stage.
"We have seen this happen before at larger festivals in the UK. It's time to double the capacity of tents or put dance music on the main stage."
It comes after another dance stage, LS23, was closed mid-set last night due to a health and safety hazard when all the lights suddenly switched off and ravers were forced to evacuate.
If yesterday is anything to go by, we wouldn't be surprised if The Warehouse was closed for the rest of the day which means anticipated sets from Rossi and Mall Grab will also be cancelled.
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Featured image - The Hoot Leeds
Declan Kelly -
6th July 2026 
